Bodied vehicle

ABSTRACT

A vehicle with superstructure is used to transport containers, boxes or other loads, especially beverage crates. Several loading boxes are directly or indirectly secured on both sides to a central support arranged in the upper region of the superstructure and run in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, whereby at least part of the loading boxes can be raised or lowered by lifting devices and the loading boxes are fitted on a raisable and lowerable holding device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a bodied vehicle of the type more closelydefined in the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For the loading and unloading of lorries, fork-lift trucks or similarlifting devices must often be used to lift the cargo from the groundonto the often relatively high loading area and also down again, insofaras the raising and lowering is not performed manually. This process isvery time-consuming and thus expensive, since the fork-lift truck isalways able in each case to accept only part of the cargo in a loadingoperation and therefore has repeatedly to receive goods, lift them ontothe lorry and deposit them there.

A further drawback of this process for loading and unloading a lorry isthat a fork-lift truck must in the first place be present to allow thefreight to be loaded and unloaded. For this reason, a collapsiblefork-lift truck is carried in a large number of lorries so that there isno need for a fork-lift truck to be present at the destination. However,the maximum payload and the maximum usable loading space of the lorryare reduced by carrying a fork-lift truck of this type, so that theeconomic effectiveness of the lorry suffers under this solution.

Although it is possible to attach the fork-lift truck to the outside ofthe rear wall of the lorry, this must then be secured by very expensiveand complex mechanisms against falling onto the road.

A vehicle of the generic type is known from DE 41 14 044 A1. The saidpublication describes a lorry having a device for the transport ofcrates, piece goods, merchandise or various materials in the stackedstate. The device is formed by a supporting frame fastened to thechassis and by a movable structure, which forms compartments which areopen and disposed on both sides of the vehicle and is verticallyadjustable between a setting lowered to the earth for loading/unloadingthe material and a raised setting for vehicle road travel.

Moreover, the known vehicle is provided with a fixed roof under whichthe open compartments are provided.

DE-U-94 08 263 discloses a commercial vehicle, especially a drinksvehicle having a low loading platform. In this vehicle, at least partsof the loading platform are suspended, such that they can be lowereddown to the ground, from a centre frame supported on the axles.Moreover, the side walls of the vehicle and the roof of the body aresuspended rigidly from the centre frame by transverse members disposedat the ends of the lowerable loading platform sections.

A drawback with the vehicles known from the prior art is however thattheir stability, especially in the event of twisting motions about thecentre longitudinal axis of the vehicle, is relatively poor, since thefront and rear axles of the respective vehicle are joined essentiallyonly by a middle member and by the universal joint shaft for the rearaxle drive, so that virtually the whole of the acting forces have to beabsorbed by these structural parts, especially by the middle member andcentre frame respectively.

A further drawback of the known vehicles is that they are difficult toload and unload, especially on ramps, so that loading and unloading onramps can only be done with these vehicles by using suitable externallifting devices such as, for example, fork-lift trucks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a bodied vehicle whichexhibits improved stability relative to the prior art and which can beeasily and rapidly loaded and unloaded.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the fact that theroof has roof stays for absorbing at least part of the forces actingupon the vehicle and that the loading boxes can be raised from thesetting in normal running to the height of the ramp, a free space beingleft between the loading boxes and the roof during normal running of thevehicle.

The provision of roof stays which absorb at least part of the forcesacting upon the vehicle means that the vehicle according to theinvention is substantially more stable than vehicles known from theprior art, since now not only do virtually all acting forces have to betransferred to the middle member, but at least part of the forces isalso absorbed by the roof stays.

The facility to raise the loading boxes from the setting in normalrunning to the height of the ramp, especially the head ramp height,means that the vehicle according to the invention can be very simply andeasily loaded and unloaded on ramps and head ramps, since the body israised only to the height of the ramp, so that the vehicle can be loadedand unloaded, for example, by means of sack barrows, lift trucks orindeed by hand.

Although it would be theoretically conceivable to run the vehicle withloading boxes or the like already raised to ramp height, because of theunfavourable high centre of gravity and the further increased forces andmoments which consequently act upon the middle member, this option isscarcely feasible in practice. Moreover, the high centre of gravitywould produce unfavourable driving characteristics, especially with thevehicle in the loaded state.

Although in this arrangement, in normal running of the vehicle, a freespace is left between the loading boxes and the roof of the vehicle,which free space is not available for freight, this drawback is morethan offset by the prospect of rapid loading and unloading on ramps.

The facility to lower the loading boxes down to the roadway, whichfacility is known from the prior art, means that the vehicle accordingto the invention is thus able to be simply and rapidly loaded andunloaded in any situation.

The loading boxes can be movable in pairs, i.e. two loading boxes whichare arranged symmetrically relative to the middle member, or it can alsobe envisaged that, where suitable devices are additionally fitted, eachloading box should be individually movable.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be envisaged thatthe members of the roof stays should be disposed diagonally across theloading boxes over the entire usable length of the vehicle body.

A possible arrangement of the members of the roof stays diagonallyacross the loading boxes over the entire usable length of the vehiclebody allows the rigidity of the body to be further enhanced.

Advantageously, the roof stays can be attached to a plurality ofvertical members running broadly perpendicular to the road surface.

The vertical members do not in this case move in accompaniment, so thatthe vertical members, together with the aforementioned roof stays andfurther members yet to be described, form a skeleton or frame which isvery robust and is therefore capable of absorbing relatively largeincidental forces.

In this way, the roof stays and vertical members produce a stable framewhich prevents the middle member from being severely twisted.

The vertical members can also be attached to transverse members runningtransversely to the vehicle longitudinal axis.

Provided that they do not impede the lowering of the loading boxes,these transverse members can be disposed beneath the loading boxes or,for example, between individual loading boxes, which likewise helps tostiffen the whole of the vehicle body.

For the lowering or raising of the loading boxes, the lifting device canbe hydraulically or pneumatically driven. Since, in a great manylorries, hydraulic or pneumatic systems are already present for drivinga wide variety of apparatus, the apparatus described can be easily andcheaply driven in this way.

The lifting device can also however advantageously be realized as alifting spindle, which is driven, for example, by an electric motor.

A drive motor for a lifting spindle of this type can also easily bedriven without difficulty using the on-board power system of the lorry.

In order to ensure that the individual drive devices are able to make dowith a relatively low drive capacity, they can be positioned at pointson the vehicle body according to the invention at which a favourableforce transfer or force transmission to the take-up device is possible.

The lifting devices can therefore advantageously be disposed on themiddle member, since, for reasons of symmetry, from the middle memberrunning parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis of the lorry, auniform force transfer in all directions is possible.

It can here be envisaged, for example, that for each pair of loadingboxes a dedicated lifting device should be provided, so that not allloading boxes have to be moved together, but rather a pair of loadingboxes is able to be lifted or lowered.

Advantageously, each loading box can be guided in at least two guiderails.

The loading boxes can thereby be prevented from tilting as they areraised and lowered, even if the individual loading boxes were to beunevenly loaded.

The guide rails can also be integrated into the aforementioned verticalmembers, so that the guide rails do not lay claim to additionalstructural space.

In an advantageous refinement of the invention, it can be envisaged thateach loading box should be secured by at least one securing device.

The provision of an additional securing device serves to ensure thatunintentional lowering of the loading boxes onto the road, for examplewhilst the lorry is travelling, is prevented and the vehicle istherefore unable to provoke any dangerous situations.

The securing device can be realized, for example, as a pneumaticcylinder, which locks the loading boxes against unintentional loweringin the raised state.

In order to protect the cargo from weather influences, the loading boxescan be able to be closed off by doors or blinds.

Two illustrative embodiments of the invention are described in basicoutline below with reference to the drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a lorry provided with a body according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a lorry provided with a body according to theinvention;

FIG. 3 shows a section along the line III--III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a section along the line IV--IV of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 shows a view of an illustrative embodiment of roof stays.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, a side view of a vehicle is represented.

The vehicle has lowerable loading boxes 1 and, in the region of the rearaxle of the vehicle, a non-lowerable cargo bay 2. Since the cargo bay 2,because of the axle disposed beneath it, cannot be realized in lowerableconstruction, it can be used, for example, to house the control andoperating elements for lifting and lowering the loading boxes 1.Alternatively, the cargo bay 2 can also of course be used to housecargo, in which case the possibility can also be envisaged of athrough-load facility from a loading box 1 disposed on the tailgate ofthe vehicle through the cargo bay 2 into a further loading box 1.

This is particularly advantageous if the lorry approaches a so-calledhead ramp backwards.

The loading boxes 1 can then be raised to the height of the head ramp,usually measured at 1,000 mm, so that, as illustrated by the dash-dotline in FIG. 1, all loading boxes 1 or their bottoms are at the sameheight as the bottoms of the cargo bay 2. A precondition for thisthrough-loading facility is however that doors, blinds or the likeshould be present on the rear side of the lorry for the loading of theloading boxes 1 and cargo bay 2.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the vehicle of FIG. 1, the representation ofthe complete roof stays structure being omitted for reasons of clarity.

The loading boxes 1 and the cargo bays 2 are disposed symmetrically tothe centre longitudinal axis 3 of the lorry. The representation of thedriver's cab of the vehicle has been omitted.

Extending symmetrically and parallel to the centre longitudinal axis 3of the vehicle there is a middle member 4, which, in the presentillustrative embodiment, comprises a standard square tube and to whichthere are fastened transverse struts (not represented), as well as theloading boxes 1 and cargo bays 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, a section along the line III--III of FIG. 1 isrepresented, the representation of the driver's cab and of the cargobays 2 of the vehicle having been omitted.

Each of the lowerable loading boxes 1 is guided in two guide rails 8,the loading boxes 1 being lifted and lowered respectively by means oftwo lifting devices realized as hydraulic cylinders 9, which are fittedon the middle member 4. The guide rails 8 run vertically, i.e. broadlyperpendicular to the roadway, and can also be fastened to upper andlower transverse members (not represented). In the present illustrativeembodiment, the guide rails 8 are however fastened to the middle member4.

The hydraulic cylinders 9 and the loading boxes 1 are joined by atake-up device 20 (see FIG. 4), which is fixedly connected to thehydraulic cylinders 9 and in which the loading boxes 1 can easily besuspended, thereby enabling simple and problem-free replacement of theloading boxes 1. Alternatively, the loading boxes 1 can also however befixedly connected to the take-up device 20.

The loading boxes 1 can also, of course, be raised and lowered by meansof a pneumatic cylinder or by use of an electric motor driving, forexample, a worm gearing or lifting spindle. Since a hydraulic and/orpneumatic system is however already present in many lorries, the loadingboxes 1 are also preferably driven hydraulically or pneumatically.

In order to prevent the loading boxes 1 from being lowereduncontrollably, especially whilst the vehicle is running, securingdevices are provided, which, in the present illustrative embodiment, arerealized as pneumatic cylinders 10 which actuate a suitable lockingdevice. The securing devices 10 are fastened to transverse members andare disposed in vertically running arrangement. If, as a result of afault in the hydraulics circuit, for example as a result of a leak, anattempt should ever inadvertently be made to lower a loading box 1, thenthis catches on the lock of the securing device 10 and there is nodanger of the loading box 1 hitting the roadway uncontrollably.

FIG. 4 shows a section along the line IV--IV of FIG. 1. The arrangementof unmoved transverse and vertical members 11, 12, 13, 13' and of guiderails 8, which are fastened to the middle member 4, is clearlydiscernible, as is the arrangement of the hydraulic cylinders 9 on themiddle member 4 and the arrangement of the securing device 10. In theregion of the transverse members 13 and 13' runs the universal jointshaft 14 of the vehicle. At this point, it should once again clearly bepointed out that the front axle is connected to the rear axle of thelorry only by the middle member 4, which therefore has also to absorbthe greatest part of the incidental forces, and by the universal jointshaft 14, which however merely transmits the drive torque from the motorto the rear axle of the lorry.

The hydraulic cylinders 9 disposed on the middle member 4 are coupled tothe saddle-shaped or bridge-shaped take-up device 20, to which theloading boxes 1 are attached, in turn, by means of transverse members11.

Around the loading boxes 1 and the cargo bays 2 there is disposed afixed frame which cannot be lowered, i.e. fixed roof stays 15 areprovided, below which are located the lowerable loading boxes 1. If theloading boxes 1 are now lowered down to the roadway or, as mentioned atthe beginning, raised to the height of a head ramp, then the roof stays15 and the vertical and transverse members to which the roof stays 15are connected remain in a fixed position.

This means that, during normal running, if the loading boxes 1 areraised to a height of about 400 mm above the roadway, a free space isleft between the loading boxes 1 and cargo bays 2 and the roof stays 15.

Above the loading boxes 1 and the cargo bays 2 are disposed the fixedroof stays 15 represented in FIG. 5, which can be covered with metalsheeting or a canvas, so that the loading boxes 1 and the cargo bays 2and, in particular, the apparatus for lifting and lowering the loadingboxes 1 are broadly protected from weather influences. In addition,forces can also be absorbed by the roof stays 15, so that the vehiclebody acquires sufficient stability, i.e. the incidental forces are atleast partially transferred to the roof stays 15 and absorbed by them,since they constitute, together with the vertical and transversemembers, a robust, fixed skeleton and a frame.

The vertical members, which join together the upper and lower transversemembers of the vehicle body, can also be used as guide rails 8, or theguide rails 8 can advantageously be integrated into these verticalmembers, so that the complexity of assembly for the described apparatusis reduced.

We claim:
 1. Bodied vehicle for transporting containers, boxes or othercargo in which a plurality of loading boxes for the reception of thecontainers, boxes or the other cargo are provided and at least part ofthe loading boxes can be lowered from a first position in said vehicleto a lowered position outside said vehicle, the loading boxes beingfastened to both sides of a middle member running in a longitudinaldirection of the vehicle and being mounted on a take-up device extendingperpendicular to said middle member, a means for lifting and loweringthe take-up device, said lifting and lowering means mounted to saidmiddle member, vertical guide rails mounted to vertical side portions ofsaid middle member for guiding said loading boxes in the movement oflifting and lowering and a fixed roof being provided above the loadingboxes, wherein the roof has roof stays for absorbing at least part ofthe forces acting upon the vehicle and in that the loading boxes can beraised to a raised position above said first position, a free spacebeing left between the loading boxes and the roof during normal runningof the vehicle.
 2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the membersof the roof stays are disposed diagonally across the loading boxes overthe entire usable length of the vehicle body.
 3. A vehicle according toclaim 1, wherein the roof stays are attached to a plurality of verticalmembers running broadly perpendicular to the road surface.
 4. A vehicleaccording to claim 3, wherein the vertical members are attached totransverse members running transversely to the vehicle longitudinalaxis.
 5. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a transverse memberscomprise upper and lower transverse members.
 6. A vehicle according toclaim 1, wherein the lifting device is driven hydraulically orpneumatically.
 7. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein each loadingbox is secured by at least one securing device.
 8. A vehicle accordingto claim 7 wherein the securing device is realized as a pneumaticcylinder.